The Federal Government has initiated a needs assessment for victims of the June 13 Yelewata attack by bandits, according to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
The minister disclosed this during a closed-door meeting with stakeholders and security heads in Makurdi.
The needs assessment aimed to gather comprehensive data on the victims and their community, enabling effective and efficient interventions.
The exercise will cover both humanitarian and development components, focusing on providing support to victims of attacks in the state, particularly the people of Yelewata.
Yilwatda said that the assessment would inform the development of a blueprint for short-term and long-term programs to provide social protection and meaningful support to the victims.
He emphasised the importance of security protection for those conducting the assessment, which is why he met with security agencies and stakeholders.
“We need to speak with security agencies to ensure that they provide security to those carrying out the needs assessment to ensure that they are protected to have the exact data for better decision-making.
“When it is done, we will come up with a blueprint, a short-term and long-term programme on what to do.
“First it will be for social protection and also provide things that will make life more meaningful to victims of attacks, especially the people of Yelewata,” he said.
The minister’s visit to Benue State was part of President Bola Tinubu’s directives.
During his stay, Yilwatda was also set to launch a social protection project aimed at supporting vulnerable families in the state.
He is expected to visit the Yelewata internally displaced persons camp and interact with the victims.
